Arthur Miller, who wrote Death of a Salesman, was born on October 17, 1915 and is still living today. He grew up in Brooklyn, New York City, which just happens to be the setting for Death of a Salesman. This play was first published in 1949 and on November 18, 1950, when the play closed, it had encountered 742 well-liked performances. Death of a Salesman was Miller's "most critically celebrated play" (Leone 14). The play won a Pulitzer Prize, a Tony Award, and the Drama Critics" Circle Award. Death of a Salesman is about a salesman named Willy Loman who is in his 60's. He desires success and wealth so much that he tells Biff and Happy, his two sons, that if they are not well known and rich, they will fail at life and not deserve recognition. He truly believes this philosophy and will die believing it.
In the play, Willy constantly thinks that he is going to be a failure and he is also disintegrating. This is shown in the very beginning of act one when Willy is talking to Linda, his wife, about his day. "I couldn't make it, I just couldn't make it, Linda," (Miller 13). At this time, he is talking about how he could not keep his concentration. One reason for this is that he did not make any sales while he was in Yonkers, and while coming home, he saw himself driving 60 miles per hour, forgetting the last five minutes, and veering off onto the shoulder. The reader is not the only person that can see that Willy loses his concentration. Biff suggests that it might be Willy's eyes. But Happy states otherwise. "No, I've driven with him. He sees all right. He just doesn't keep his mind on it. I drove into the city with him last week. He stops at a green light and then it turns red and he goes," (Miller 19-20). .
Another incentive could be that he knows that he is failing, and not selling anything, but he is keeping it from everyone that he loves. He tells Linda that "I did five hundred gross in Providence and seven hundred gross in Boston," (Miller 35).